Guilderland XC and Track and Field

Sarah graduated from Guilderland in 2015. In high school, she posted impressive times such as 18:03 at the Saratoga cross country course and 2:15.99 in the 800 m. Now she is running for Siena College and continues to exceed expectations. She won the 3000 m at the MAAC Championships this year with a time of 9:55.79! Sarah is a prime example of how far hard work can really get you.

What do you find most rewarding about running?
I think that running is very rewarding because it is a team sport as well as an individual sport. Everyone on the team can work hard and be successful no matter what level each runner is at. I love that success in running can be defined in many ways. Also, it is very rewarding to be able to reach both team goals and individual goals.

You have talked before about the mental aspect of racing. What do you do to prepare yourself mentally for a race?
I start mentally preparing for a race many days before. I flood my mind with positive thoughts to make myself more confident. I also try to visualize the race or think about possible outcomes. Thinking about the race before helps to stay calm and trust your training on race day.

What advice would you give someone who wants to take their running to the next level?
I think running at a higher level starts with having the right mental attitude. There’s always something more to work towards, and it’s possible to get there if you have purpose and a process. A good place to start is by setting high goals that seem scary to think about and very hard to achieve. This helps give a purpose to everyday training.

How has your past experience of running for Guilderland affected you?
The running program at Guilderland helped me to keep running at a high level in college. It is so important to have a team and coaches who support you and push you to be your best. I gained a lot of confidence and a good work ethic. That is what The Long Red Line is all about.